This invention relates to a laser-based processing machine incorporating in the path of the laser beam at least one optical element which has at least one surface situated in the path of the laser beam to be purged by a scavenging medium.
Deposits such as lint or dirt particles that accumulate on optical elements of the type described above can compromise the functionality of the entire machine. These deposits lead to an augmented absorption of the laser beam at the optical element concerned, causing the latter to heat up considerably either in spots or in its entirety. This heat build-up can change the optical properties of the optical element to an undesirable extent, and possibly result in positional deviations and/or physical changes of the guided laser beam. In extreme cases, such overheating of the optical element can even lead to its destruction.
A prior art device is disclosed in WO 97/06918 which provides for the protection of the focussing lens of a laser based processing machine by means of a circular nozzle surrounding the focussing lens. A scavenging gas can be delivered through the nozzle to clean the lens surface facing the workpiece. The scavenging gas impinges on the entire perimeter of the circular lens surface and is directed radially toward the center of the lens. From the center of the lens surface, the gas is deflected, in a direction essentially perpendicular to the surface of the lens, toward the workpiece being processed. Another patent, EP 0 695 600, describes a laser based processing machine employing mutually opposing purge gas flows intended to generate a purge-gas eddy on the surface of the focussing lens facing the workpiece. The axis of the purge gas eddy extends in a horizontal direction relative to the lens surface concerned.
Due to the flow pattern prevailing in the prior art laser based processing machine described in WO 97/06918, the scavenging or purge gas will back up in the center of the lens surface on which it impinges. In the case of the prior art design per EP 0 695 600, the eye of the purge gas eddy in which there is next to no movement is located in the central area of the lens surface which should be protected from deposits. It follows that, in the case of both of these earlier laser processing machines, the purge gas flow cannot have a cleaning effect, or only a limited one at best, in the center of the lens. This means that prior art systems are incapable of more than marginally protecting the central areas of focussing lenses from contaminating deposits, or of removing existing dirt accumulation. This is a more serious deficiency considering that the laser beams of laser based processing machines often display a Gaussian intensity distribution pattern across the beam diameter. As a result, it is that very central region of the focussing lens in laser processing machines which is exposed to laser radiation at high intensity levels, heating up to a particularly high degree when there is beam absorption due to lens contamination.
Against that background, it is the object of this invention to provide a novel laser based processing machine in which the surface of one or several optical elements situated in the path of the laser beam are effectively and reliably protected from dirt deposits, and in which preexisting deposits may be scavenged.
Another object is to provide such a laser processing machine in which the purging gas can also be used in the beam positioning chamber.
It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects may be readily attained in a laser-based processing machine having at least one optical element in the path of the laser beam. A scavenging subassembly operative to flush at least one surface of the optical element is situated adjacent the optical element to flush the surface of the optical element with a scavenging medium. The scavenging subassembly includes a scavenger delivery device having a multiplicity of openings therein located about a limited portion of the optical element and a conduit for the scavenging medium to the openings. The openings in the device deliver the scavenging medium to flush the surface of the optical element while essentially avoiding counter flow of the scavenging medium so that the surface of the optical element is flushed by the scavenger medium essentially free of any counter flow.
The scavenger delivery device has a flow capacity that permits passage of the volume of the scavenging medium necessary for flushing the corresponding surface of the optical element and is positioned at the perimeter of the surface of the optical element to be flushed. The flow volume of the scavenger medium from the scavenger delivery device extends over the portion of the surface to be flushed.
Preferably, the scavenger delivery device openings are designed as an array of nozzles with ducts which are mutually juxtaposed along the perimeter of the optical element and open outwardly toward the surface to be flushed. The nozzle ducts of the nozzle array diverge in the flow direction to create in an extended flow direction a fan-shaped flow pattern across the surface to be flushed.
The mouths of the nozzle ducts, viewed in the flow direction, are positioned at the perimeter of the surface and situated at essentially the same level relative to the surface. The nozzle ducts may have non-uniform cross sections with respect to their shape and/or size and/or they may have a uniform circular cross section.
Preferably, the nozzle ducts of the nozzle array are provided on an enclosure for these optical elements, which encircles the surface to be flushed.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the surface to be flushed is positioned in a gas filled positioning chamber for the laser beam and the scavenging medium employed is a gas of the type with which the beam positioning chamber is normally filled. In this embodiment, there is included a device for regulating the pressure of the scavenging medium and a device for monitoring the internal pressure of the gas filled beam positioning chamber. The monitoring device is connected to and controls the device serving to regulate the pressure of the scavenging medium.
The optical element may be a coupling mirror in a laser resonator or a deflecting surface mirror, or a focussing lens.
Due to the virtual absence of a scavenger counter flow across the scavenged surface, the creation of any backup in the flow pattern is essentially prevented so that in all surface areas of importance a scavenger flow rate is obtained that is sufficiently high to prevent dirt from accumulating and to remove existing debris.
The basic, effective cross-sectional flow volume of the scavenger medium emanating from the delivery device of the invention can extend either over only part of the surface to be purged or along the entire surface to be flushed. In either case, the cross sectional flow volume of the scavenger actually utilized for flushing the object surface is so selected as to avoid counter flow free on the object surface at least in the key area or areas to be cleansed.
In a preferred design version of the laser based processing machine of this invention, the scavenger delivery device is configured as a nozzle array with multiple nozzle ducts which terminate, side-by-side, at the perimeter of the surface of the optical element. Nozzle ducts of this type, for instance by their alignment and/or their dimensions, provide a simple way to produce the desired flow pattern of the scavenging medium on the surface of the optical element. According to the invention, it is important to always make certain that the scavenger medium impinges on the surface of the optical element concerned with as full an area of coverage and/or as uniform a flow rate as possible. Desirably, the partial scavenger volumes flowing from the individual nozzle ducts of the nozzle array at uniform flow rates to recombine on the surface of the optical element again at a uniform flow rate, thus avoiding the creation of undesirable turbulences. Circular nozzle duct cross sections are easier to manufacture, and can be simply produced by drilling.
This invention also provides for nozzle ducts to be lined up parallel to one another which, is useful when the useful when the object surface to be flushed with the scavenging medium has a rectangular contour.
A desirable, enhanced design version of this invention offers a simple approach for sealing the area of the optical element which is to be purged with the scavenging medium, from its surroundings. A seal of that nature may be needed for a variety of reasons. For one example, the enclosure of this invention can serve to prevent dirt from penetrating into the space within the path of the laser beam in which the object surface to be flushed with the scavenger medium is located. The enclosure may also be used as a simple way to accommodate the nozzle ducts of a nozzle array. In terms of its shape, it will be desirable to adapt the enclosure to the contour of the optical element surface to be purged with the scavenging medium.
The scavenger medium may be any fluid that is capable of cleaning the object surface, or protecting it against contamination, without any particular negative effect on the functionality of the machine such as any significant deterioration of the optical properties of the optical element concerned. In the case of laser-based processing machines operating with a gas filled beam positioning chamber, the present invention is particularly advantageous. Both as the scavenging medium and as the gas environment in the beam positioning chamber the preferred gas is either nitrogen or compressed air. The present invention makes it possible to use the scavenger in controlled fashion for regulating the internal pressure in the beam positioning chamber and maintaining it at the desired level, for instance by compensating for losses caused by gas leaks from the beam positioning chamber.
Generally, the optical element with the scavenger purgeable surface is a coupling mirror on a laser resonator, or a deflecting surface mirror, or a focussing lens installed in the laser-based processing machine.